ACC Settlement Plots Future Of College Conferences

Following a lengthy and public back-and-forth, the ACC, Clemson and Florida State settled on a new revenue distribution model earlier this month. The agreement is likely to keep conference membership in place as-is for at least the next four-to-five years, while making some concessions to Clemson and FSU around their respective revenue concerns.

Key in the new agreement is the fact that the league's grant of rights – essential in keeping members from leaving to-date – will be altered to a model that decreases the amount owed to the league for five years, before settling at $75 million through the end of the ACC's TV deal with Disney in 2036.

• In 2026, any of the league's 18 members (including non-football member Notre Dame) would owe $165 million to the league and would forfeit its media rights through 2036; though Notre Dame would still own its football rights, which are negotiated separately through a deal with NBCUniversal.
• From 2026-31, that total would decline by $18 million each year before settling at $75 million, with schools retaining their media rights should they opt to leave at that time or any point after.
• The ACC's grant of rights – put in place following Maryland's exit and with the formation of the ACC Network – has been one of the most powerful factors in college sports. Its adjustment here – one that will reward schools unequally for both TV and on-field performance – creates a new landscape within conferences to put further distance between "haves" and "have-nots" that likely alter league membership forever.